Disclaimer- Batman Beyond not mine, DC not mine. Get it?

Everyone met down at the Cave at night's end. Terry had retired at three in the morning, thinking he couldn't do anything, but had forced himself up at five to talk to the rest along with Alfred, while Tim and Dick both yawned and looked down at the hard cave floor, tempted to just collapse. Of course, Bruce looked like he'd just gotten up fresh from a good eight hours of sleep despite the fact that he'd pushed himself harder than all of them.

The first thing he said to Terry was, "Training sessions are off until this crisis is over."

Terry had nodded in acquiescence, expecting it and listened carefully to the rest. Nightwing didn't have much to report, saying that the night was as quiet as it had ever been. It seemed that the rank and file goons of the Gotham nightlife were keeping silent, prepping themselves up for the massive war that would needlessly occur. Tim and Bruce had found Nigma apparently, and he was in safe hands, though Terry wasn't told just where he was.

Bruce, not showing any sign of impatience, spoke up again.

"What we need to do is get rid of any elements that are going to make this situation worse. Unfortunately, we have no shortage of problems and a lack of manpower. Batgirl refuses to come to the cave until Scarecrow has been taken care of. Nightwing, I'll leave that to you. Barbara can get in touch through the usual channels."

Nightwing licked his lips nervously before nodding, not trusting himself to speak. Talking to Babs was going to be awkward. Hell, he and Bruce still weren't on the best of terms just yet…

"Robin, during the daytime, scope out what you can on the streets. You're the one most used to figuring out the lowlife… I know it's asking a lot, but-"

"Say no more boss man!" Tim chirped. "I missed sleeping on the streets anyway."

"Kidding, kidding" he reassured his crowd when he saw the look on everyone's faces. "Thought we needed to lighten up a bit."

Bruce's mouthed twitched in response before going on. "Bruce Wayne is now on sabbatical. That said, I'm going to have to use him to put pressure on the governor. Lethal Force can not be authorized yet, and hopefully never. The harbors and airports need to be watched by me to stop the mercenaries before they enter the city, and we also need to figure out how to take down the likes of Joker before they act. Unfortunately, you know how difficult that is in the best of times."

"So who's coming?" Nightwing asked.

Bruce tapped a key on his wrist computer, and the massive computer behind him flicked on, showing a list of names and mug shots when possible.

Robin whistled. "Wow, not doing things by halves are we?"

Nightwing analyzed the situation. "So, the Yakuza and the Triads are trying to muscle in to take advantage of the chaos with these guys, and Italians and the Russians are trying to protect their territories, and all the street gangs are being hired out or combining to make their own mark. And… Neo-Nazis? Baron Blitzkrieg? Are you kidding me?"

"This is the possible list, no real confirmations besides Bane and a few others," Batman pointed out.

"We're never that lucky," Tim pouted.

Terry felt left out of the conversation, and butted in, asking "So don't we have any back up? I know you don't want the League, but we've got to have something. Robots? No? Anything?"

"Do you use those?" Bruce asked rhetorically.

"I get your point," Terry said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"This is as big a job for human resources as it is for us. Luckily, Lucius will have that covered. Now, go sleep, grab a meal. It's going to be a long next few weeks," Bruce said grimly.

Everyone got up, but Terry paused as Bruce called out his name.

"You're still not coming out. Don't forget that."

Saying nothing else, the Dark Knight left his cave.

Terry sighed again as he tapped a few more keys on the computer, feeling completely useless. Nightwing, Bruce, and Robin were all out in the city trying desperately to thin out the criminals before the inevitable eruption of chaos and here he was essentially messing around in a dank cave.

How annoying.

He let out a breath and blinked as a keystroke brought up some information he hadn't even intended to see. He read closely and felt his mouth tighten. Almost immediately after the breakout, a series of missing people's reports had been filed. What caught his attention the most was the fact that it was a group of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who were being driven home in a community bus by two assistant scoutmasters. They were young too. The oldest one missing was supposed to be nine years old! But the police, as stretched as they were, hadn't been able to do much but give some assurances they would be found, but…Terry brought up the GCPD database. Everyone, down to the lowliest Meter Attendants were on the streets or taking a refresher in the Police Academy, desperately trying to cram as much training as possible for the war about to break out. This was unacceptable.

Terry had never been a scout. Warren had been too busy trying to push Terry towards 'academic excellence and his dad could never have found the time to even take him to meetings if he'd been a member. But Matt… Matt used to be one for a few years, back when his mom and dad decided to try and succeed where Terry, the problem child, had failed. Of course, Matt being the annoying twip he was, lasted only a year before calling it quits. But still, Matt had fond memories of the meetings. And some of these kids were the only ones their parents had. They would be devastated if they lost their children.

Terry made his decision in a heartbeat. Even if Bruce would disapprove, well, forget the old man. He'd become Batman for a reason. If he couldn't stop criminals, the least he could do was go find some twerps. Even Bruce, heartless old bastard he might have been, couldn't say much against that.

Terry turned his chair and headed towards the garage levels, grabbing hold of a key. Motorcycles, now that was what he was talking about. Fifty years later they hadn't changed. Grateful for the familiar layout, Terry patted a bike fondly but froze as he heard Alfred speak. Where did he come from?

"Leaving Master Terry?"

Terry just nodded, not sure what to say.

Alfred sighed before making his way to a chair, making a 'come hither' gesture to Terry before plopping down. He glanced at Terry before asking "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Um, sorry?" Terry asked, baffled by what Alfred was asking for.

"Oh children these days" Alfred mused with a grin. A hand stroked his pencil-thin mustache thoughtfully before falling down again. "What will I say to Master Bruce? That Master Terry disobeyed his direct orders? That he overpowered me when I asked him to stop? That the cur, ruthless boy he is, tied me to this horrible, yet incredibly comfortable chair before galloping off to parts unknown, most likely so that he can find himself being punched by big hairy men so that I may have the dubious pleasure of wrapping him like a mummy?"

Terry gaped before grinning. He took out cord of nylon before gently restraining Alfred, careful not to hurt the butler.

"Hmm, yes. Well done. Not too tight, not too loose," Alfred complimented, flexing his hands. "Now then, at least take a communicator with you please."

Terry obliged the man before taking off in his bike, reveling in the noise. The last thing he heard before the main cave disappeared into darkness was "And bring the cycle back with a full tank!"

As the screams of the bike died down, Alfred relaxed into his chair before giving a yelp.

"Damn! I should have asked him to put on a film. I was looking forward to Casablanca again…"

The integrated GPS did its job well, dropping Terry off where the scouts had left the meeting. Batman flicked his cowl to a special calibrated vision before filtering out all the unnecessary details given by the suit. He had the model van used by the scout masters, and tracked down the details of it all. He turned on the tracking device in the cycle, hoping to access the GPS now installed in many cars, hoping that he would be lucky enough that the car would have one. A few tense seconds passed before it pinged, Batman did some quick math before concluding it was probably a ten minute drive. Terry considered taking the bike before his manipulations revealed the car was not on a road, or any alleyways. He ditched it, remembering to turn on its stealth mode before grappling up the highest building in range after taking off the tracker. He held it up, trying to decide how to best move.

Batman jumped.

And he glided away.

It took a while, but Batman thought he'd gotten close. He came to a dingy street that seemed perfectly normal but… Batman smirked. Nothing was escaping his vision, no sir.

There was a massive hidden door that seemed to radiate light from its seams, which Terry wondered how anyone could miss before he set his vision back to normal.

Batman blinked several times, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness after the sheer red his cowl gave. The door was now perfectly hidden, but his fingers could make out the seams from touch. Grunting, Batman pushed hard, letting the suit's enhanced strength do most of the work before making his way in. The door shut and Batman found himself in darkness. Not much of a problem admittedly, Terry thought as he flicked on the night vision. The missing van was right next to him, now clear as day under the hood. Batman checked it, intrigued that the back of the car seemed to have been scuffed badly. A heavy weight pushed it down? But what would scouts have been carrying? Batman's eyes fell on a series of gashes that had torn the seats. His fingers traced the rough cuts. It was almost like a set of claws… were they carrying animals? But the cuts were so thick.

Everything else about the car looked fine though. Batman turned and went in deeper, checking his location on the GPS. He was underground obviously, but where exactly… oh yuck. Sewers again? God, last time here, he ran into Ratboy when he was trying to save Dana. Jeez, what, did the mole people kidnap the kids? Suddenly he was extremely grateful for his mask. No domino masks like Robin or half cowls like Bruce. Nope, he wasn't going to breathe in filthy sewage. But damn, this was a problem. The sewers were a maze. It was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack to grab those kids. Terry dropped a tracer on the hood of the car before making his way in. At the very least, he could find his way out.

Batman soon lost track of where he was. Apparently, the sewer maps weren't as accurate as the GPS reported, as he found dead-ends everywhere. Some of them seemed natural but others… it felt like someone was getting rid of any entrances. Like they were making a fortress. He shrugged before continuing. Eventually though, Batman removed his night vision, seeing a genuine light. Power all the way down here? Thinking quickly, he flicked on his camo before entering. Climbing quickly to get some height, Batman picked the biggest shadow he could find before turning his mike to the two men below in a massive and bright room.

Below was, huh, Killer Croc according to the computer. Well, it was the sewers, he should have expected that, but who was that other guy? And why was Croc looking ashamed?

"Don't threaten to eat them! That's not the way to work. Not the way to work!" screamed the man. He was haggard looking, and somehow had scrounged up a set of dusty looking pirate clothes while Croc was just in his Arkham issued orange jumpsuit with the top ripped off.

"Sorry boss," Croc mumbled, looking ashamed.

"Oh Croc, dear boy," the man said, reaching up to pat Croc's shoulders, "You can eat one later. Just not now. We need to scare them so more. Scare them," he repeated.

"…Kay, but shouldn't we, I dunno, give 'em food or somefing?" Croc asked.

"It's only been two days. Two! They can wait longer. And I gave them plenty of water didn't I? Yes, I did."

"But, it's sewer water. Even I don't drink that stuff," the man said looking confused.

"Oh dear Croc, that's because you're better than them. Better than all of those nasty surface people. Here, with me, your Sewer King, you'll be my First Mate. My knight. Don't you worry about them," the pirate reassured. "Now, let's go see our old friends. Well, my old ones. I think all these years have made them forget about me. We'll need to discipline those nasty alligators. With your help of course. Your help. The sewers are filled with treasure you know. That's why we need these kids, so we don't dirty our selves. Dirt is bad. Bad."

With that, the Sewer King led out his new henchman, intent on showing him what baubles he'd hidden away before his arrest.

Batman had heard enough. The name Sewer King was tracked down and… child slavery? That was… that was…

Unforgivable.

Batman saw red, and suddenly all he wanted to do was reach down and grab that man's face. He'd squeeze, feeling the man's skull cave in as his brains were turned into so much gray pulp and… no. No. Batman would not do that.

But think of Matt.

Batman gulped. His brother, he was the same age as those orphans had been years ago when the Sewer King had first surfaced. The idea that his brother might go through something similar was horrifying. Sure this old coot was probably dead in his time, but these kids. No one deserved this. Batman focused his anger though. Saving it, bottling it up for when he would take down the man. He'd be a bit rougher than usual, but first he had to see to those kids. The only way through was the door. He grasped the rusty thing and pulled. Inside was a room of pure darkness. He could only see them all by turning on his night vision.

"What do you want?" asked one. It was the girl scoutmaster. Her shirt had been torn off, and she was nursing the boy scoutmaster whose right leg had been mauled. Around her were all the missing children, who'd bunched up together looking like they were about to be beaten. The girl had used her own shirt to act as a bandage. Batman wondered why she sounded so resigned and frightened before realizing her night vision must have been in tatters. Pure darkness plus light meant she would be nearly blind for a few moments.

"I," Batman began. "I'm here to get you out."

The huddled children near the two adults looked up hopefully.

"It's not a joke. I-I'm Batman. And I've been looking for you all."

"Lying or not, I guess it doesn't make a difference right now. You might be the Sewer King again, but I don't even care right now," the girl said weakly.

Batman took a step forward before remembering something. "You haven't eaten in a while right? And that leg doesn't look good."

Batman took out a ration bar and a small bottle. "This is all I have for food, I'll get you more when I take out those two outside, and this should help with the infection."

The girl blinked before looking up at Terry more closely. Her vision was returning. "You, are you serious?"

"It's been two days and you've lost hope already? Come on, this is Gotham. I'm always around," Batman soothed.

And of course Bruce had to take that exact moment to butt in through the comm..

"Where are you!"

Batman winced before looking apologetic. "Sorry, hang on one sec," as the kids looked astounded.

"Busy."

"Not an answer," said Bruce promptly.

"In the sewers. Check case file uh, 4682. It's the last one I looked at before I left," Batman said hurriedly.

A few precious seconds of silence ticked by before Bruce, no doubt having figured out everything snapped "You found them? In the sewers? Is it the Sewer King?"

"Man you're fast. Yeah it's him. Plus a friend of yours. Killer Croc," Batman answered.

"I'm on my way now," Bruce said before Batman cut him off.

"No you won't. You're at the mansion and it'll take you a while to come. And you can't track me can you? After all, I found all your little toys."

Bruce stewed for a few seconds before asking "What do you want?"

"Man, you're making me sound like the bad guy. I'm just trying to help these guys. I'll take out those two, you call the cops, and we can all go and share pina coladas in the morning. Or whatever it is you drink."

Batman could almost see the scowl Bruce must have had right now as the man gritted "I'll be listening to everything you say."

Batman looked back down at the group in front of him. "Now, just hang on a bit longer. I'll find those two and we can get you-"

He looked back as the door began to crack open and shot upwards with his grapple gun. Batman's lips curled in disgust as he looked at the Sewer King strutting in.

"Now, now children, have you learned your lessons? Are you ready to work for me? If you work, you can eat. Eating is quite good you see," he said genially. "If you eat, you can… what's this?"

The Sewer King reached down to pick up the unopened ration bar, looking at it closely.

"This is surface food! Croc! Your king needs your oof-"

Batman had fallen directly on top of the man and snarled "Remember me?" as he smeared goo over the man idly, slipping a tracking bug on him all the while.

"B-b-batman!" the King stammered, not even noticing the movement due to his fear, before Batman cracked his head down against the cement.

He could hear Croc roar and Batman didn't disappoint. The huge man had broken into a charge which he met head on, dipping low and tackling the man's legs, bringing the two down.

"You ain't the Bat!" Croc screamed, thrashing madly.

Batman was forced away before he responded "Sorry to disappoint."

"Grargh!" Croc roared before trying to punch Batman. Terry parried and dodged a few blows before landing an uppercut, staggering Killer Croc.

"Batman ain't this strong either. Who are you?"

"I'm the one kicking your but. That's not enough for you?" Batman quipped.

Croc let out another feral roar, his wide sweeping arms threatening Batman. He bought some distance, backflipping back, before hurling a few batarangs, only to watch them bounce off Croc's thick almost scaly skin.

"What the hell! That should have at least cut you!" Batman said incensed.

"Gahahahaha," Croc laughed, "Little bat can't hurt big Croc."

"Keep laughing tough guy," Batman mocked before hurling a flash bomb at his face.

As Croc staggered and swung wildly hoping to catch Batman, Bruce screamed into Batman's ear.

"What are you doing? Watch him and stay quiet. And don't forget the hostages."

"Working on it," Batman snapped.

"Who you talkin' to Bats!"

"Your mom. She's telling me some funny stories about you Croc. Is it really true you just tried to pass your thing as a 'skin condition?'" Batman asked before cursing himself. A 'Your mom' joke? Seriously Terry? That's all you can come up with?

Croc stopped pawing at the air to turn to where he thought Batman was before petulantly saying "It is a skin condition. The Docs all say so."

"Did you bring a note young man?" Batman asked, wagging a finger like a teacher chastising a student. As he started to run back to Croc, he turned at the sound of one of the kids.

"Batman!"

He saw the Sewer King running away from the room, forgetting even the idea of hostages, hoping he would lose Batman in the confusion. Batman readied a Batarang but flew back as a massive hunk of rock slammed into his chest. Another rock slammed into the first, burying Batman beneath their combined bulk.

"I got 'im? I got 'im! Rock beats everything!" Croc whooped.

"Not… quite," Batman gritted as he shoved the heavy rocks aside.

"You not done yet? I got more Bats!" Croc yelled, feeling victory in his grasp.

As soon as Croc lifted his chunk of masonry up high, Batman fired his grapple gun, feeling its tip sink deep before beginning to pull. The two began a tug of war before Batman quickly retracted his grapple and dashed forward while the now unbalanced Killer Croc swayed. He sideswiped Croc's legs, forcing the rock to fall on his own body before slamming Croc with a series of heavy blows until Killer Croc, relying on old instincts grabbed Batman and began to squeeze.

"I got ya. I got ya. Igotyaigotyaigotyaigotya," Croc repeated, as though it was a mantra.

"Hey…Croc," Batman slurred, seeing spots in his vision. "You like heights?"

"Eh, what?"

Batman kicked in his rocket boots and sent them both up flying into the thick stone and metal ceiling. Croc's bigger frame ensured he took the most damage before the two men dropped. Croc too took the blow again, and now nearly senseless, offered no resistance as Batman kicked the man's arms away and got up before cracking his back, trying to work out the kinks the heavy squeeze had forced up.

Killer Croc, dazed but not out, grabbed hold of the chance again, and threw Batman against the ground, thinking the rocket boots would be of no help when horizontal.

Batman finally sighed as Croc's weaker grip scrabbled around his suit, threatening to tear the flexible material before flicking a switch on his belt.

Croc howled as electricity arced around his body before finally falling, now truly unconscious.

Batman cuffed Croc before going back to the children and the adults. "You're alright now. Let's get you all home. The police are on their way," Batman assured.

"Wh-what about him?" The kids asked. Batman knew exactly who they were talking about and just smiled in response.

He lifted up the beeping remote he'd used to find the car, "Oh, I'll find him."

The Sewer King didn't stop to catch a breath until he was sure Batman was out of range. Batman. Here. Unbelievable. Shouldn't he have been busy trying to catch Joker or the like? Why waste time on him? All he was doing was giving children a new home out of the generosity of his heart.

The King moaned, as he realized his misfortune. Oh everything had gone wrong. Sure he'd convince Croc to follow him, but his home had been wrecked by time, his precious pets had all forgotten him (he had the scars and torn clothes to prove it) and he had no weapon to fight Batman off. He whimpered at the slightest noise, from the drips in drains to the scurrying rats all around him. He cowered at any shadow even resembling a bat and yelped at even his own footsteps.

Something whizzed by and slammed into the metal pipe in front of him as he squealed and ducked. He looked up and with shaky fingers, pried the strange object off its home. Something black and red, shaped like… a… bat…

Pain assaulted him as a clawed hand grabbed his head and shoved him into the wall. The Sewer King grasped at thin air, hoping to dissuade Batman from killing him before the stars in his vision vanished and he realized he was all alone.

Batman was taunting him.

Batman was hunting him.

"Please! I didn't- Just take me in already!"

He received no answer. Batman obviously wasn't interested in talking. He'd just have to crawl out of the sewers and find the police himself, before that lunatic killed him. Oh God, he hoped Batman wouldn't kill him.

He came across an open passageway above a pit where the water collected. The Sewer King recognized it as a place for his former pets congregated, and sure enough he could make out the green hides flickering in and out of the rancid water. Still, he was almost home free. The manhole was only two hundred feet away. Not so bad if he-

Dark hands came down and lifted him up to a face that could have been carved from hell.

"Do you know what I think of people like you?" the creature asked.

"Y-yes!" he squeaked.

"Then," the creature grinned ferociously, "Enlighten me."

The Sewer King stammered until Batman's eyes narrowed. "I'm scum! The lowest of the lowest of the low. Lower than even-"

"That's enough."

"Yes!"

"Then what should I do with you," hissed the demon. "Batman doesn't kill you see, but I am sorely tempted."

"The same as last time then," the King tried to joke.

Batman froze for a second before letting out a breath that came out as a whisper of hate. "Very much so. In fact…" Batman murmured before falling down onto the railing with his prisoner. He dangled the Sewer King off the side of the railing, exciting the alligators below as chunks of metal and rock fell from the sudden landing.

"You know," Batman said, his voice now surprisingly conversational. "My arm got strained fighting your flunky back there. Croc is pretty tough, you see," he explained.

"No, please, don't!"

"Why," Batman asked, his voice now hard.

"I-I won't do it again! I'll ask the judge for community service, I'll give back everything I stole that's still here, just please, for the love of God don't-"

The Sewer King shut up as Batman tossed him high with inhuman strength, knowing he was dead. He shut his eyes, hoping his end would be quick when a roar of engines filled the air and he found himself hovering, as Batman grabbed him by the collar of his coat.

"I am always going to watch you. Never forget that."

Terry clambered up the closest building, not the least surprised to see Bruce's scowling form waiting for him.

"You disobeyed my orders," Bruce said.

Terry sighed, resigned to his fate, "I did."

"You didn't listen to me when I told you to come back."

"No, I didn't listen."

Bruce was silent as he looked at the three man police crew and the firefighters do their jobs. "When you were alone with the Sewer King," Bruce began quietly, "I thought you were going to kill him."

Anger flushed through Terry's body before he forced it down, saying "I didn't though… but I wanted to so much."

Bruce cocked his head to the side, taking in Terry's form and drinking in the details. Uncomfortable by the silence, Terry started to talk, feeling like he had to justify himself.

"It's just… I have a brother the same age as those kids down below," Terry said, pointing to a boy now poking his head out of the street, "And he's annoying, and loud, and God, I wish he'd let me sleep in, but… he's my brother. And I love him."

Bruce said nothing.

"Bruce, my Bruce, the old grumpy man told me once, that I make Batman worth it. That because of me, Batman is worth the title it's been known for and you know, that made me wonder. If it's not Batman that makes me worth my life, but the other way around, what is it that makes me smile, and live, what does? Then I knew instantly, and I thought I was so dumb for not knowing sooner. It's my friends, my family. It's Max, and Matt, and Dana, and my mom, and so many others. And for them, I would do anything."

Terry finished and looked to the skyline. Dawn would be breaking soon, and he wondered if he would see it. He ignored Bruce now thinking of the family and friends he'd left alone in the future, wondering how they were.

"Starting tonight, you will patrol with me."

Terry couldn't believe his ears. He turned to Bruce lightning fast, expecting the man to take back his words.

Bruce opened his mouth again, and his voice was now so soft, Terry had to strain his ears to hear them.

"Good job."